Orange County Commission Candidates, Districts 2 and 6, Make Their Case

Candidates running for Orange County Commission Districts 2 and 6, got an opportunity to tell voters why they want to represent them on the Board of County Commissioners, during a ‘2014 Pine Hills Community Candidate Forum’ on Thursday. Candidates also fielded questions on their campaign platforms, including specific plans and programs for improving the respective districts.

The fields are crowded with six candidates each running in Districts 2 and 6.  The District 6 candidates present were: Virginia Whittington, Roberta Walton, Derrick Wallace and Lawanna Gelzer. Victoria Siplin and Homer Hartage, who are also on the ballot, did not participate in the forum.  The District 2 candidates participating were: Prince Brown, Greg Jackson, Bryan Nelson, Patricia Rumph and write-in candidate, Bridgett Sykes. Eatonville Councilman Alvin Moore, also on the ballot, was unavoidably absent, but wife, Syreeta, attempted to stand in for him, urging attendees to contact the candidate directly, to get their questions and concerns answered.

Almost all candidates said they are running because District 6 deserves better representation than it has received in the past. Whittington observed that, “it’s time for a change.” “As your next commissioner I plan to work with the Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement District to advance projects already in progress,” she said.  Walton, as a former Aide to the current District 6 Commissioner said, she has served the constituents of Pine Hills for the last seven-and-a half years and was one of them. She said more effective policy making was required to take the area to the next level. Wallace said, “District 6 has had no representation for the past 16 years.” He likened the area to “dry bones” and expressed a desire “to see the wind blown back into District 6.” He said a plan, involving all stakeholders, needs to be developed for the area. Gelzer said the area has a lot of issues, but she hasn’t heard any candidate take a stand on any of them. “You could plan all day, but we haven’t had proper representation,” she said. She urged attendees to “check out what I have been doing in the community.”

Regarding District 2, Brown said in his view, “the community needs hope.” He said young people are unprepared for the future and needed to have a vision of what they can be.  “We need a leader and I want to be that person to lead the change,” he said. Jackson said, people are interested in what the next commissioner will do for District 2. As an example, he has conducted 30 community meetings over the past 15 months, including many related to helping citizens understand their rights and restoration of rights. Nelson, a former legislator in Tallahassee said, transportation was a big issue for residents in District 2. He also identified curb appeal and creating safe neighborhoods as other areas of focus. Rumph said, another plan for the area was not needed. “We have been talking about the same plan for the last 20 years,” she said. Sykes, attending her first forum said, “A better tomorrow is a united country.”

Mostly, all candidates responded to the same questions, with a couple being directed to individuals. Among the questions were: how to fund infrastructure development to support the revitalization of Pine Hills; what should be done to help Pine Hills become a town or city; how to avoid Pine Hills becoming a magnet for ‘sleazy banquet halls’; how much of the $290 million in the County budget should Pine Hills be allocated; education excellence, mentoring and the role of the arts; and efforts undertaken to reduce crime and candidates’ future plans.

Whittington and Walton pointed to the existing Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement District and possibly using property taxes on businesses to help fund infrastructure. Whittington also mentioned utilizing grants under Neighborhood Stabilization Funds. Walton also suggested that approaches be made to the Board of County Commissioners to utilize resources from general funds as well as, possibly floating a bond issue. Wallace said, he would advocate with the Board for funding over several years. Gelzer stressed the importance of working with the Board and partnering with business owners and homeowners, as well as, residents showing up at County Commission meetings to advocate on their own behalf.

Like Gelzer, Brown suggested it is important for people to take ownership and attend Orange County Board meetings. Jackson offered several possibilities – infrastructure funding should be requested from the state, the introduction of a half-penny sales tax, which would need to be discussed and agreed upon and monies from the General Fund of the County Commission.

Most candidates noted that Pine Hills didn’t have the economic resources needed to support becoming a town or city, notwithstanding its population base of more than 100,000 people. While candidates said, it’s possible, they urged caution, pointing out the high cost involved in the delivery of all services.

“Yes, it’s possible, but is this what you want?,” Whittington asked rhetorically. “There’s lots of cost involved, including running a fire department, trash collection and the provision of other services. Can you do it, ‘yes you can.’ Do you need to do it, ‘that’s debatable’.”

Several candidates suggested that County ordinances might need to be amended to help eliminate ‘sleazy banquet halls’ in Pine Hills. They also questioned whether or not the issue was a code enforcement one. Walton said the owners were operating within the law and that the definition of a ‘banquet hall’ needed to be revamped.

“The ordinance has been amended, and still the banquet halls continue to open well into the early morning hours,” she said. “We need to define what a banquet hall is and this will empower law enforcement agencies to go into these businesses.”

Regarding the proportion of the $290 million in the County budget that should be allocated to Pine Hills, while no candidate offered a specific amount, most candidates said that a good case should be made, based on the needs of the area. Whittington proposed the adoption of a formula, based on the number of residents in Pine Hills, returning a proportionate share of funds to the area. Gelzer suggested that there’s need to look at what has been spent in other districts and then determine an allocation for Pine Hills.

‘Every child deserves the same educational opportunity,’ candidates said, although a few noted that not every one will go on to college. Wallace proposed that Jones High School be made into a magnet school where trades are taught.

“Students should learn a trade and in four years be walking out with a diploma and skills,” he said. “This would stop some of the crime.”

Brown, like Wallace said, all children should have the same opportunity, but also offered alternatives if they don’t meet the standards.

Jackson honed in on the arts and mentoring aspect of the question, pointing out that arts education plays an essential role in developing creative abilities among students of all skill levels.

“I believe that all children should be given an opportunity to be part of the arts,” he said, pointing out that ‘Arts’ is now a necessary adjunct to STEM. “Arts education is key to creativity and it provides the discipline.”

Commenting on crime reduction and how this might be accomplished, most candidates stressed the importance of mentoring, particularly young people.

Jackson talked about his work in helping two individuals with felony convictions establish their own businesses and who were now employing other workers. Like Jackson, Brown stressed his community service work and returned to his theme of “young people needing a leader.”  Gelzer said she grew up in Parramore, had served on neighborhood watch groups and participated in National Night Outs. Wallace said he had worked with organizations in District 6, in particular Ivey Lane and serves as a mentor and advisor to many young people, including to the ‘Man Up’ group. He returned to the importance of having Jones High School serve as a Magnet for training young people, so they have employability skills.

Walton said she has worked ‘hand in hand with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’ in an effort to help reduce crime in the community. She underscored the importance of ensuring there is funding for off-duty patrols. Walton also proposed a crime app that would assist law enforcement and complement the tools already in place, called for more security cameras in right of ways as well as, improvements to the County’s lighting code.

Whittington said she has studied the crime patterns in the area and called for strengthening existing programs that try to tackle the problem. She stressed the important role mentoring and jobs programs play in helping to reduce crime and referenced her work with the Jobs Partnership of Central Florida, as a volunteer facilitator.

“I will work with businesses that will take a chance on hiring someone with a record,” she declared.

Asked directly what relationships she has fostered that would help bring back businesses to District 6, Whittington stated:

“As Director of Regional Partnerships at MetroPlan Orlando, I have built relationships at the state, county and municipal levels and I am capable of leveraging them. I also have relationships with several developers.”

Prior to the start of the Forum, two candidates running for judgeships were introduced. They were: Orley Burney for the Ninth Circuit Court and Harold Bacchus for Circuit Judge Group 18.

The 2014 Pine Hills Candidate Forum was sponsored by the Robinswood Community Improvement Association and the Pine Hills Community Council. A second forum is planned for July 15th.